India might welcome Tesla's Chinese vendors: Report

livemint.com:

reliance on imports from China for critical components like battery cells used in electric vehicles. Previously, Mint reported that A delegation of high-ranking Tesla executives, including key members from the public policy, supply chain, and business development teams, is currently in India to actively interact with various government stakeholders and gain valuable insights into the local market.

Heading the meetings are Rohan Patel, the Vice President of Public Policy and Business Development, based in Washington, and Roshan Thomas, Vice President of Global Supply Chains at Tesla. Reportedly, the Tesla representatives conducted meetings with Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, to deliberate on the incentives and advantages for promoting the sales of their electric vehicles in India.

Additionally, the officials attended the festivities during the inauguration of the India Trade Promotion Organization complex Bharat Mandapam, hosted by the ministry, with the honorable presence of Prime Minister Modi and Minister Goyal. During previous meetings with the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Tesla executives explored the option of importing their electric vehicles from the Berlin Gigafactory specifically for the Indian market.

Nevertheless, the government's position remains firm in not entertaining any special taxation rates for a sole original equipment manufacturer. In fact, the company was advised to explore the assembly processes of established luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz India and BMW in the country.

This suggestion aimed to provide insight into the functioning of the local ecosystem. A government official, who was part of the discussions and requested anonymity, shared, "We cannot give